Mites associated with some birds in El-Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt

Abstract

The present study was conducted for three years (1995-1998) to throw some light on the acarofauna of some common wild and domestic birds that are in close association with man in El-Minia governorate, aiming to pave the way for controlling this parasitic group of mites that threatens bird's life and productivity. The study revealed the presence of 24 species of mites, belonging to 14 families and three suborders (Astigmata, Prostigmata and Mesostigmata). The parasitic mites detected in the present study included feather mites of families Dermoglyphidae, Analgidae, Harpyrhynchidae and Syringophilidae, skin mites of families Epidermoptidae, Knemidokoptidae, Laminosioptidae and Cheyletiellidae; and haematophagous mites of family Macronyssidae. These mites were detected on the infested birds in fluctuated rates of prevalence and abundance and with variable intensities of infestation. The feather mites, Paralges pachenemys and Dermoglyphus columbae (Dermoglyphidae) were the most frequently encountered species on both wild and domestic birds. The wild birds harboured higher numbers of parasitic mite species than the domestic ones. The other detected mites (the non-parasitic ones) were found in relatively few numbers. Eleven species of the recovered mites have been firstly recorded on the Egyptian birds. A key to the detected mites was constructed and illustrated with drawings.


KEY WORDS: birds, wild, domestic, mites, El-Minia, Egypt.


Egyptian Journal of Biology Vol.3(2) 2001: 124-136